The People’s Committee of Hai Phong City is planning to complete the Prime Minister’s directives on the Tien Lang land acquisition case by March 30.

Relevant agencies have been ordered to complete their investigation of the demolition of Vuon’s house to prosecute those who may be involved (Photo: SGGP)

On the morning of February 12, Hai Phong City officials held a meeting to discuss Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s directives on the case in which 49-year-old farmer Doan Van Vuon used arms to resist Tien Lang District authorities when they wrongfully tried to reclaim more than 40 hectares of land allocated to him in 1993.

Tien Lang
District authorities have violated the Law in reclaiming 40 hectares of
land allocated to a local farmer, Doan Van Vuon, and must revoke all
their decisions and allow Vuon to continue to use the land, the Prime
Minister had concluded.

At the
meeting, Nguyen Van Thanh, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee
requested the authorities to withdraw all their earlier wrongful
decisions relating to the case.

The Party
Secretary assigned the Department of Natural Resources and Environment,
the Hai Phong Procuracy and the Hai Phong People’s Court to coordinate
with relevant agencies in revoking the decision against Vuon.

Duong Anh
Dien, chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, set up a team led by
his deputy Dan Duc Hiep to execute the PM’s directives after another
deputy Do Trung Thoai was rejected by local people.

Do Trung
Thoai, vice chairman of the Hai Phong People’s Committee had earlier
told the press that Vuon’s house was destroyed by "his neighbours" and
demanded the media "stop misinforming about the controversial land
case".

Thanh also
asked relevant units and officials of Tien Lang to review their own
actions in this case and hold themselves responsible for violating the
law of the land.

Le Thanh Lien and Pham Dang Hoan, two more officials in Vinh Quang Commune involved in the case have been suspended.

The military Command of Haiphong also reprimanded the
military unit of Tien Lang district as they had not asked
for permission from superiority before sending soldiers to join the
team which had used force to regain Vuon’s land.

Dien
ordered Tien Lang District authorities to revoke all their decisions
related to the acquisition of Vuon’s land and enable him to continue to
use the land according to the law.

He also
urged relevant agencies to complete their investigation of the
destruction of Vuon’s house so as to prosecute those who may be
involved.

Meanwhile,
Vuon and his relatives will still be charged with “attempted murder and
acting against law enforcement officers on duty.” However, the court
will take into account the background of Vuon’s actions as Vuon was
agitated by the wrongful decision of authorities.

Thus, the
Hai Phong Party Committee said that in prosecuting Vuon and his family
members, authorities would consider mitigating factors because their
armed protest stemmed from district authorities’ illegal action.

The Hai
Phong authorities have meanwhile ordered the Tien Lang People’s
Committee to carry out necessary procedures for Vuon to continue to use
the land.